Towards the Sun
by Running Bird
Summary: [SasuHina] To Uchiha Sasuke, the end of the Fourth Shinobi War was the first step towards rebuilding his life in Konoha. Yet, peace still managed to escape his grasp: his days were now restless with unforeseen events while fragments of his childhood haunted his sleep. What had happened before the Uchiha Massacre? All seemed to guide him in one direction...Towards Hyuuga Hinata.
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! This is the prologue to my SasuHina fanfic, _Towards the_ _Sun_.**

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**Prologue**

Sasuke was excited. Like, really, _really _excited. He didn't know, though, whether his racing heart was the result of his current emotional state or the obvious fact that he was running. Maybe a mixture of both.

Truth be told, the seven-year-old Uchiha boy had completely lost track of time earlier that day, to the point that it was already nightfall when he finally reached the residential compound. To say that he was late was definitely an understatement. Moreover, he had deliberately immersed himself in his afternoon training in order to - although momentarily - forget a specific event of the day.

The memory suddenly came back full force to his mind. He had tried out - out of curiosity, of course - one of the _things _which his elder brother Itachi did with his lover. Sasuke had unintentionally walked up on the two as they were engaged in a sort of mouth-to-mouth session in the back garden of their house. This had left him quite perplexed. And curious. Very, very curious indeed.

Hence, being the innocent child that he was, he had pecked a girl from his class. Of course, he had made it look utterly accidental, not to mention that they had fortunately been the last two in the classroom after school dismissal. Although he hadn't foreseen that the girl would then faint: luckily, he had managed to catch her before she fell.

Sasuke was sure that he would never forget that moment in his entire life.

Sasuke struggled to push the memory away, a slight blush apparent on his pale features, as he entered the Uchiha compound, all the while trying to come up with a justification for his extreme lateness. Lying was definitely out of the question; Sasuke had been raised to be an honest, sincere, I-shall-always-tell-the-truth-to-mommy-and-daddy type of child. Plus the bloodline limit of the Uchiha clan, the Sharingan, allowed its user to detect whether one was telling the truth or not. He had yet to acquire the Sharingan himself, though.

Speaking of the Uchiha clan, something was odd. Why was it so quiet? And how come all the houses were plunged in complete darkness? A strange smell suddenly reached Sasuke. He had encountered it before... during one of his shuriken-throwing training, when he had accidentally cut himself and the wound had been quite deep.

_Blood._

A shiver went down Sasuke's spine; panic was now creeping into his mind, leaving a distinct chill in its wake. _Where was everyone? _

Sasuke broke once again into a run. It quickly turned into a mad sprint. High above in the night sky, the moon, full and silvery, glared down upon the young boy, lighting his way home. The moonlight bestowed an unearthly glow to Sasuke's black eyes and equally black hair, accentuating his sharp gaze and highlighting the spiky nature of his fine hair. He resembled a frightened kitten.

_"Father! Mother!"_ he thought frantically. _"Please, let them be safe!"_

Upon entering his house, he discovered what would later be known all throughout the village of Konoha, and the rest of the world, as the Uchiha Massacre.

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**So... how was it? Liked it? Or not? Please leave a review~! :D**


	2. Chapter 1

**Waaaah~! Thank you so much for the reviews, I'm really glad that you guys like it!**

**And here comes Chapter 1 of ****_Towards the Sun_****! **

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**Chapter 1**

Sasuke was running. Around him, the corridor was a blur. He was inside the Ninja Academy, headed towards his classroom. He had something to do. He couldn't remember exactly what it was, but he knew that there was something important he had to do. He absentmindedly noted the unusual emptiness of the corridor, safe for some chuunin teachers. School had probably just been dismissed. The rhythmic sound of his footfalls was echoing around the hallway, making the teachers glance at the seven-year-old boy as he passed by them.

Had he forgotten his set of throwing knives and shuriken in the classroom? Maybe yes, maybe no – he just couldn't seem to remember at all, but he usually practised kunai and shuriken throwing after school.

Finally reaching his classroom, Sasuke made a sharp turn towards the door. And was instantly engulfed in a blinding light.

Sasuke woke up with a start. A dream. It had all been a dream…

The blinding light again. Shielding his eyes with his right hand, Sasuke noticed the single ray of sunlight piercing through a small gap between the curtains of his large bedroom window. This lone ray of light gave some colour to the otherwise dim room.

He glanced at the mirror on his wardrobe, his raised hand involuntarily reaching up to shove his front bangs away from his forehead. His palm was now moist with sweat. A handsome eighteen-year-old teenager was staring back at him, his expression slowly turning into a scowl. The Fourth Ninja War had just ended, he needed to relax, yet his subconscious was like: "Oh! Sasuke-_kun_, have a little look at what I just found deep down inside your psyche!" Definitely scowl-worthy.

Sasuke sighed, his fine features relaxing oh-so-slightly. The alarm clock sitting on his bedside table read six in the morning. He had had only seven hours of sleep; the previous day had been his birthday, July 23rd. Last night, Naruto and the others of the former Rookie Nine had thrown a big party for the occasion, inviting as many people as they knew to the celebration. It had been a sort of multipurpose event: the boys had just wanted an excuse to _party hard_ while the girls had celebrated the fact that Sasuke-kun was now of age to _get married—squeaaaal!_

As for Sasuke, he had simply – and quietly – enjoyed his birthday, the first normal event since his return to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Still, that didn't mean that he was out of trouble. As he had been underage upon his return, the Fifth Hokage, Lady Tsunade, had assigned Uchiha Sasuke to various tasks, namely:

_"Participate in the next Chuunin exams and become Chuunin._

_"Participate in the next Jounin exams and become Jounin._

_"Accept any assigned mission."_

Upon receiving this rather short list, Sasuke had been all but surprised at its briefness. Indeed, he had even expected some sort of penalty, since he had _killed_ _people_, including Konoha villagers. His expression had transpired no emotion whatsoever, of course; however, inwardly, relief and apprehension had suddenly engaged in a ferocious battle. So, he was expected to become a Jounin, the highest rank for ninjas. Perfect. Just _perfect_.

Sasuke got out of bed and made a beeline for the bathroom. He really needed a cold shower right now…

Fifteen minutes later, Sasuke was locking the door to his newly acquired apartment. It was close to the Uchiha compound, near the outskirts of Konoha. But he didn't feel ready yet to go visit the place. So much had happened during the past few years… Now Sasuke was completely sure that he was the last survivor of the Uchiha clan. A fragment of memory flashed through his mind at that moment: he had mentioned his intention of restoring his clan during the introductory session of the former Team 7, led by Hatake Kakashi, and composed of Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura and himself.

Sasuke shook his head, realising the implication of his words back then. Anyway, it was training time now.

He was walking down the streets of Konoha towards the training grounds, shifting from one tree's shade to the next. Each time the bright sunlight touched Sasuke's skin, he would feel its warmth. Its oh-so-annoying warmth. Sasuke definitely preferred the coolness beneath the trees' shade: it was much more refreshing in his opinion. He briefly wished for some clouds to conceal the sun – at least as long as his training would last.

It hurt. It hurt _a lot_.

"That _idiot _Naruto," muttered Sasuke under his breath after he was thrown to the ground. He swiftly got back up on his feet. He eyed said blond, annoyance gripping at the corners of his mind. They were supposed to work as a team in order to defeat their _sensei_, yet Uzumaki Naruto had actually managed to knock Sasuke down with one of his many Shadow Clones. The real Naruto was at present busy creating a Rasengan, determined to hit Kakashi-sensei this time.

From where Sasuke stood, near the edge of the training area, his clothes covered in dust and dirt, he could see that Sakura, who was perched on a low tree branch, was a tad too close to the impact zone of Naruto's attack. Heck, she wasn't even supposed to be present at this training session, which concerned their preparation for the upcoming Chuunin exams. They were only one week away, to be exact.

"RASENGAN!" shouted Naruto as he charged at Kakashi-sensei. Predictably, the latter easily dodged the direct attack using a simple Substitution technique. The chakra orb destroyed the log to pieces, thousands of splinters scattering about into the air.

Sasuke resisted the urge to face-palm himself. He almost did so when a clear, loud scream was heard from Sakura's direction. There would soon be bloodshed…

The young lad actually took a minute to debate whether he would help his blond friend or just let the pink-haired girl beat the life out of Naruto. He seriously considered the first one, since he needed Naruto on his team for the Chuunin exams. Yet, a look from Kakashi-sensei told him that he could go for now if he wanted; the training would, as usual, resume at dusk.

Thus, Uchiha Sasuke calmly exited the training grounds, undetected to both Naruto and Sakura, although the latter had purposefully attended this morning's session to hang out a bit with her long-time crush: Sasuke. It didn't matter to her that he had once attempted to kill her. When Sakura had her mind set on something – or, in this case, _someone_ – she could go to lengths merely to achieve her goal. Sasuke, on the other hand, was completely unaware of Sakura's perfect-love-story-and-eventual-romantic-wedding plan.

For now, Uchiha Sasuke just wanted to make some good memories.

As he walked on, retrospection overtook his mind. He could still remember bits and pieces of his dream. Sasuke, seven years old, running down a corridor. Was that a childhood memory? Sasuke racked his brain for more details – to the point that he nearly felt a minor headache coming – but to no avail. Just _what_ was _wrong_ with his memories? That dream simply didn't seem to form part of them. And that was slightly frustrating. As far as he knew, he had always _walked_ along corridors. Well, most of the time, anyway. But he was a hundred percent sure that at the Ninja Academy – ah, another detail he finally recalled of the dream – he had _never_ done so.

At this point, Sasuke was so caught up in his own thoughts that he failed to notice the slight frown that now marred his delicate features. And he also failed to notice, as he rounded a corner into the busier streets of Konoha, that someone was coming his way.

Sasuke bumped into none other than a certain Hyuuga Hinata.

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**Hinata has now joined the show~! :D Please let me know how you found this chapter in the reviews! ^^ **


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The unexpected collision brought Sasuke immediately out of his reverie, and successfully substituted his previous scowl with a startled look. From the corner of his eye, he saw something white fall.

"Ah! E-Excuse me…," came Hinata's mellow voice. It sounded surprised too. Glancing upwards, she added, "Oh… Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

Yin and Yang clashed. A young woman with white eyes and a young man with black eyes looked at each other for the briefest moment.

"Good morning…" Sasuke's voice trailed off as his gaze settled on what the dark-haired girl was holding.

A bouquet of white flowers.

_Huh?_

Before he could start analysing the situation, though, Hinata had already made her way swiftly around him, shooting another clumsy "Excuse me" as she passed him by. The young lad watched her go away, his gaze lingering momentarily on her long cascade of midnight-blue hair… Then, he began wondering why she was wearing a long-sleeved jacket _and_ training pants that reached down to her mid-calves in _summer_. The girl was soon out of sight in the growing crowd. And gone was his musing… Well, almost.

An Uchiha's reflexes were known to be sharp, deadly. No, forget that.

An Uchiha's reflexes were _awesome_.

So, how come the Uchiha descendant had actually allowed a lapse of focus to engender something as evitable as a… _bump_? He inwardly frowned at this.

And now, why were his Uchiha reflexes returning to him, merely to deftly pick up a simple _flower_ off the ground, right before a careless pedestrian could step on it? The frown deepened.

Plus he was almost instantly rewarded with a sudden sting: he had inadvertently pricked his forefinger on the _only_ thorn along the flower's stalk.

Glaring at the white rose in his hand, Sasuke thought that today would be an unpleasant Monday. And to render matters more irritable than they already were, the self-righteous part of his mind just _had_ to start nagging him to go and give the flower back to Hinata. He made up his mind.

If he hurried now, he could still catch up to her – well, he hoped so.

Oh, _duh_. His breakfast would have to wait…

The summer sun was _scorching_, noted the dark-haired teenager irritably. Good thing it was still morning. He didn't want to imagine the intensity of the sun at its zenith… Sasuke mentally berated himself for wearing a black T-shirt. As he trod on, the Uchiha lad took to examine the rose since he had already pinpointed Hinata's location: she was headed towards the cemetery. The pristine white hue of the flower which he was holding lightly in his hand, immediately reminded Sasuke of its owner's eyes. And of the December snow. As a kid, he had always loved playing in the snow, mesmerized as a child could be by this natural phenomenon.

A wave of nostalgia unexpectedly washed over him at that moment: for a split second, the image of his smiling elder brother had crossed his mind. The orphaned teenager gritted his teeth at the thought, trying to suppress the feeling of guilt that now threatened to overwhelm him. He quickened his pace. A futile attempt to disperse his thoughts.

Under this bright light, unbeknownst to Sasuke, his hair took on a dark-bluish hue, the highlights reflecting the colour of the sky above.

It was child's play to find Hinata upon reaching his destination. From the entrance, Sasuke could perceive her crouched figure in front of a grave some yards away, her head bent, causing her veil of dark hair to conceal her face. A refreshing breeze blew past, temporarily sending the scenery into motion. The iron gate creaked in greeting as Sasuke stepped inside the vast cemetery, clutching the rose ever-so-slightly. And almost immediately, he stopped in his tracks.

He definitely was not used to approaching girls. In fact, now that he gave it a thought, it was usually the other way around, ever since his first day at the Ninja Academy. Sasuke decided to wait for Hinata to come to him. She would have to, anyway, as Sasuke was positioned near the only access in and out of the cemetery. Moreover, he reasoned that it would be improper to bother her when she seemed so absorbed in… err… whatever she was actually doing. He also deliberately ignored the small voice in his head that kept on throwing words along the lines of "_you're such a coward_" at him. Strangely enough, it resembled a certain blond boy's voice.

Therefore, Uchiha Sasuke casually leaned against the stone wall enclosing the area, glad that he could finally hide from the sunrays as he stood within the cool shade of the wall, and crossed his arms over his chest. He was careful not to crush the delicate petals of his—no, _Hinata's_ rose. Great, he had unconsciously taken ownership over what was not his to begin with.

He didn't have to wait long, though. After hardly a few minutes – during which time the young lad had tried to force his rumbling stomach into silence while scanning the zone for any potential eyewitnesses – Hinata was already heading his way. She appeared as if in a daze, her straight fringe casting a gloomy shadow over her eyes. And she hadn't noticed Sasuke. At all.

"Oi, Hinata," he called. Then, holding the rose out in front of him: "I think this is yours." The girl stopped dead in her tracks. An alarmed look on her face, Hinata turned white doe eyes in the velvety voice's direction. Her gaze eventually settled on Sasuke and his outstretched arm.

It was amazing to witness the speed with which Hinata closed the distance between them. "Oh! Thank you so much, Sasuke-kun." A sincere smile graced the lips of the young lady. She carefully took the flower from him. Yet, as she did so, her fingers lightly brushed Sasuke's skin. This sudden contact made him extremely uncomfortable and he realised that he was a _tad_ too aware of that slight detail. He was used to keeping his distance from others; hence, even such a brief contact with another person was quite… unsettling.

_"Don't blush! Don't you _dare _blush!" _His ego had abruptly made a grand appearance at the forefront of his psyche, pointing an accusatory finger at Sasuke.

"I-I have to go!" he muttered. _Wait a moment._ _Did I just _stutter_ right now?_

_Rustle_.

_A killing intent!_

Sasuke's senses immediately perked up at this unexpected sound. "Get down!" he shouted to Hinata, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her to the ground. A kunai flew past the spot where her head had been just seconds ago, and landed some feet away from the two.

He adroitly got back up and activated his Sharingan, his irises turning red as three _tomoe_ (comma-shaped swirls) appeared around each of his pupils. Promptly reaching into the weapon pouch attached to his right thigh, the young ninja drew out a single kunai, which he instantly threw in the direction of the noise. The two shinobi then heard a muffled cry of pain, followed by more rustles coming from a tree in the distance.

Something seemed off.

First of all, Sasuke hadn't detected any other presence hardly a minute before, except his own and Hinata's. This fact significantly poked at his ego. Furthermore, Konoha villagers were known for their pacific disposition, hence it had to be an intruder. Now came the issue: it could be _anyone_. Indeed, since the Ninja War had just ended, many foreigners, most of whom being war casualties, were currently residing in Konoha. Yet, all had been willingly part of the Ninja Alliance, hence none of them was supposed to show such hostility. Supposed.

"Gone," said Hinata, who had also activated her bloodline limit, the Byakugan. Prominent veins now framed her eyes while her pupils, though still white in colour, were also more distinct. She let out a sigh, looking down at the rose clutched in her hand. The corolla had been crushed; some of the petals had fallen and now lay scattered on the dirty ground. _Flowers are so fragile…_

Hinata slowly stood back up and brushed the dirt off her navy-blue pants using her free hand. The kunoichi bore a sad expression as she assessed the damage inflicted to the rose. She failed to notice that Sasuke was presently staring at her openly, taking in her every move.

_"Why is she so preoccupied by something as silly as _this_?" _he was thinking. More importantly, he pondered the reasons behind the attack, which obviously concerned Hyuuga Hinata.

However, something even more imperative then came up.

His stomach suddenly rumbled.

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**End of Chapter 2~**

**Please leave a review~! Constructive criticism is most welcome! ^^**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"We have to report this attack to the Hokage," stated Sasuke matter-of-factly as he turned around, his back now facing Hinata. If he acted as though his stomach had not just expressed his need for some food, maybe it would give the impression that nothing had happened at all. Well, that failed to appease his reddening cheeks, which provided a sharp contrast with his fair complexion. His body simply didn't seem to understand that _embarrassment_ was _NOT_ part of an Uchiha's vocabulary.

The hungry ninja pursed his lips into a thin line, frowning at nothing in particular, and made his way to the kunai. According to his Sharingan, it was just a normal weapon with no modification whatsoever, except for a slip of paper attached to the small handle. In plain black ink was written: "_WE KNOW"_.

Was this a warning? A threat?

"Ano… Sasuke-kun…." Hinata's soft voice snapped him out of his train of thought at once. When he looked back at her – to his relief, his blush had finally disappeared – she continued, "Could we… go eat first, please?" The low growl that then emanated from the demure girl's stomach plainly revealed that she hadn't breakfasted either. Her subsequent blush brought an involuntary smirk to the Uchiha's lips.

Sasuke nodded.

However, they had hardly exited the cemetery, with Sasuke in the lead, when Hinata called out his name again. This time though, as Sasuke turned towards her, he was suddenly puzzled by what he saw.

He didn't know whether it had something to do with the morning light which enveloped the two, or the way they were standing on this descending slope, but there definitely was a certain something that made him stop in his tracks. And just stare.

Besides, Hinata looked so _pale_.

_Like a porcelain doll_, thought Sasuke. Was she cold or something? That would indeed explain why she was wearing long sleeves.

He raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Thank you for saving me…"

Oh. Ah.

"You're welcome."

Wait. Where had _that_ come from? Sasuke had intended a simple "_No prob_" since his hunger was methodically playing with his nerves, yet his body had suddenly acted on its own accord. Something was definitely wrong with him today.

Sasuke's left eye twitched. Once. Twice.

"SHASHUKHE!" exclaimed Naruto through a mouthful of ramen noodles, an accusatory finger pointed at his dark-haired teammate.

The two hungry ninjas had entered the first small restaurant which they had seen, unsuspecting that they would come across none other than Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke had somehow forgotten that _Ramen Ichiraku_ was Naruto's favourite eating place. He seriously felt like turning on his heel right now and looking for food elsewhere.

Hinata, on the other hand, made a beeline for the love of her life, the blush on her face increasing exponentially with each advancing step. A little white petal winked at Sasuke from one of the pockets of Hinata's lavender-coloured jacket.

Since the ramen shop basically consisted of a bar aligned with single-legged stools, the four ninjas sat in the following order, starting from the left: Sakura, Naruto, Hinata, and finally Sasuke. Needless to say, Sakura looked utterly crestfallen by this seating arrangement.

It was incontestably the most unusual breakfast ever, thought Sasuke as he was reaching the bottom of his bowl. Eating _ramen_ in the _morning_? He wasn't his tanned friend, Naruto, who could devour three consecutive bowls of those thick noodles per meal. Sasuke had actually witnessed the feat back in his preteen days.

Out of the blue, Naruto asked, "Hinata, mind joining us for training this evening? I wanna spar with a taijutsu practitioner!"

Hinata blinked. Once. Twice.

Sasuke almost choked on his food. If Naruto invited Hinata to spar with him, then with whom would Sasuke train? Sakura? Also, in the evenings, Kakashi-sensei just supervised their training, so there would obviously be no asking him…

The young ninja felt a sudden chill run down his spine. He knew just how… _enthusiastic_ his pink-haired teammate could get in his presence. Sakura could easily destroy the entire training grounds with that herculean strength of hers. In mere seconds. And using only her heel.

Sasuke then realised that he hadn't yet used his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan since the end of the war. He wanted to create new techniques, to enhance the current ones. Would Sakura be willing to be his guinea pig for a few minutes? Wait, that sounded like something which Orochimaru – one of the Three Legendary Shinobi who had trained him during his preteen years – would consider… _and _actually put into action.

But now that he thought of it, Sakura would even be willing to lift mountains and part oceans just for her beloved _Sasuke-kun_. Seriously.

Sasuke really needed to get some fresh air.

"Gotta go. See you later."

He promptly stood up and, after dropping the exact amount of cash for his meal next to his empty bowl, exited the small restaurant without sparing a glance at the three confused teenagers. He also ignored Naruto's protests as he slid the door shut.

It was time to go and see the Hokage.

Lady Tsunade was scrutinising the kunai in her hands. Sasuke had just reported the attack and he now stood in front of the Fifth Hokage's office desk, patiently waiting for her instructions. Her eyebrows furrowed, the blond woman was deep in thought. Tsunade's attendant, Shizune, had gone to fetch all the records on foreigners currently in the village; this task would sure take a while…

The Hokage suddenly sighed. She told Sasuke that the only detail she had noted was that this weapon was handmade. Before dismissing him, she added, "For now… please keep an eye out. Especially on Hinata."

Sasuke nodded and was outside in the blink of an eye.

_What to do now?_

The sun had almost reached its peak in the cloudless sky and the heat was unbearable. Uchiha Sasuke decided to head home… and have a nap.

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"Hn…," grunted Sasuke. The loud banging on his apartment door had abruptly pulled him out of dreamland. With his ruffled hair and drowsy eyes, the young man took his time to leave his comfortable bed and walked out of his room into the small hallway. All the walls in his apartment were painted white, in contrast to the dark hardwood panels covering the floor.

Upon reaching the front door, Sasuke noticed that he was wearing his beige shorts only. Great.

"SASUKE BASTARD, ARE YOU IN HERE?" came Naruto's loud voice from the other side of the door. Should he answer or not? Meanwhile, Naruto was saying—no, _shouting_: "WE HAVE TO GO TRAIN! SAKURA-CHAN AND HINATA ARE ALREADY WAITING OVER THERE. HEY! ANSWER ME ALREADY, SASUKEEE!"

Okay, so Naruto was alone. Sasuke tore the wooden door open, told his loudmouth to _please_ shut the eff up, then closed the door on him. Several minutes later, the two were walking down the streets of Konoha towards the training grounds, Sasuke fully clothed and equipped, and Naruto being his typical outspoken self.

Watching Naruto and Hinata spar together was entertaining, Sasuke had to admit. Each time the Nine-Tails' vessel got within one metre of the young kunoichi, the latter would slightly blush at the proximity. Consequently, she would accidentally channel a bit too much of chakra into her palm and send the unsuspecting blond flying backwards into the air. This specific part of the show always managed to make the corners of Sasuke's mouth twitch upwards. He was undeniably entertained... Next to him, Sakura was furtively trying to inch closer to the handsome shinobi; the two were sitting on the same low branch which Sakura had occupied earlier that day. They had decided to wait for their sensei's arrival, whereas Naruto had almost dragged a flushed Hinata onto the sparring area upon reaching the place.

Of course, Naruto didn't seem to notice the effect he had on the infatuated Hinata, because he simply got back up and carried on with the sparring, each time more determined than before. The two had agreed to practise only basic taijutsu for today. The pattern went on and on, until Kakashi-sensei finally showed up.

"Yo! Sorry for the lateness, I had to—oh, seems like we've got a new addition to the team." The masked shinobi appeared to be smiling. Or was he? It was hard to tell, since half of his face was concealed by a book he was reading: _Icha Icha Tactics_. "Hinata-san, I heard that you'll be on the medic team along with Sakura for the upcoming Chuunin exams. Is that right?"

Everything went still at that precise moment.

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**End of Chapter 3~**

**Dunno why, but I had an inspiration block while writing this chapter. Also, I have a little request, dear readers! For the Chuunin exams, I'll be adding new characters (Genin, of course), so... suggestions are most welcomed! ^_^**

**Name:**

**Gender:**

**General appearance:**

**Clothes:**

**Hair:**

**Eyes:**

**Special abilities:**

**Village:**

**Yours truly,**

**Running Bird~**


	5. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the reviews! ^_^ And also thanks for helping me create characters! :D If you guys wanna propose more, please do so (preferably from Konoha)!**

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**Chapter 4**

The unexpected news seemed to send the whole situation into a state of slow motion. Naruto was in the air, aiming a punch at the Hyuuga girl. Hinata's head had turned to the side to look at the newly arrived Kakashi. Sakura was gazing at Hinata with a confused expression plastered on her face. Only Sasuke seemed aware that Naruto's fist was threatening to make imminent contact with the distracted Hinata's delicate cheek.

A few seconds later, though, it appeared that he was wrong.

Sasuke had managed to get Hinata out of the Jinchuriki's path by leaping to her side and scooping her into his strong arms before swiftly jumping onto a tree branch adjacent to the one Sakura still occupied. In the meantime, Kakashi had appeared next to Naruto, grabbed his protrusive arm and tackled him to the ground.

"Oops," said Kakashi-sensei. He helped a bewildered Naruto up. He then looked over to Hinata, stating, "Judging by the puzzled look on your face, it appears like this is news to you as well. Oh! By the way, Sakura, Hinata-san, I was told to inform you that… tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, Hokage's office, there'll be a meeting regarding the medic team for the Chuunin exams." Kakashi-sensei raised an eyebrow.

It took Sasuke a full second to understand Kakashi's silent question. When he did, though, the dark-haired ninja encountered some difficulty to hide the shade of pink now colouring his pale cheeks. He was grateful that the setting sun was casting a warm glow on his face.

Hinata was still in his arms.

After letting the kunoichi down as nonchalantly as possible – this simply came naturally to Sasuke, being an Uchiha – another facet of Hinata was revealed to him: her clumsiness. He was compelled to grab both her shoulders in order to steady the young lady, who had unexpectedly lost her footing on the otherwise broad tree branch. Afterwards, neither of them dared to look at each other.

This also concluded Naruto's training session with Hinata for the day, thus it was now time for Sasuke to spar with an overjoyed Haruno Sakura.

The two took position on opposite sides of the training area. Sasuke scanned the stretch of barren earth, his gaze lingering on a small white rock near the centre. Underneath it, a long shadow thrice the size of the pebble extended outwards, as though striving to reach the surrounding trees. Sasuke had an idea.

"Sakura-chan versus Sasuke—START!" exclaimed Naruto.

As soon as Naruto's words were out, both teammates lurched at one another. In a dexterous movement, Sasuke snatched the stone off the ground and tossed it into the air. He aimed a punch at Sakura's chin, which the kunoichi dodged by leaning backwards. The latter swiftly counterattacked by grabbing Sasuke's wrist to pull him closer and downwards, so that she could knee him in his solar plexus and thus knock the breath out of him. She failed to hit him, however. Sasuke took advantage of the sudden pull to slip his hand behind Sakura's head and proceeded to shove it down onto her raised knee. But he released her at the last moment and drew back just in time to kick the falling pebble back into the air: the airborne stone spiralled on itself, whistling faintly as it gained altitude.

All that physical proximity was making poor Naruto more and more jealous by the millisecond as he observed his teammates from the sidelines. _"Sakura-chan looks so small and fragile next to that idiot Sasuke!" _Naruto was thinking, panicked. _"What if he accidentally wounds her badly?!"_

The duel ended when Sasuke pinned a flushed and panting Sakura to the ground, one hand around her slim neck while the other was clenched into a fist, ready to strike. In his closed palm, concealed from the outside world, was the small stone. He was going to keep it, Sasuke decided as he put it away in his weapon pouch.

The two ninjas got back up wordlessly. Sakura clearly looked like she might swoon at any moment and was eyeing the tall and lean figure of her beloved Sasuke dotingly.

He was soon snatched away from her, though. Kakashi-sensei had suddenly called him over.

"The Hokage told me to give you this," said the bored-looking ninja, handing Sasuke a scroll upon which were written his own name and the word "Mission".

The Uchiha nin proceeded to open the scroll, already conscious that he would be unable to refuse the assigned mission. The scroll was blank. Puzzled, Sasuke activated his Sharingan to examine it: he was even more perplexed when characters appeared before his eyes on the previously bare paper. As he read on, his task brought a frown to Sasuke's fine features: he had to "_Protect Hyuuga Hinata_". He deduced that a member of the Hyuuga clan had assigned this task to him despite the anonymity of the sender. He wondered, annoyed, why they couldn't just have one of their own kin do the job instead. Maybe they were taking the opportunity that he was an orphan to appoint life-threatening duties to him.

But what was irking him most was the lack of details of the mission: neither the reason nor the time duration had been provided.

Plus everything had to remain "confidential".

Sasuke was about to point out these details to Kakashi-sensei, but the specification that the task should remain secret immediately defueled his intention. Furthermore, as he lifted his gaze from the scroll, he realised that his teacher had already disappeared.

_What the _hell_?_

The young ninja didn't want to go stalking an unsuspecting Hinata, given that she formed part of a noble clan. The Hyuuga would get suspicious. They might think that Sasuke was coveting the elder daughter of the Lord Hiashi, the head of the Hyuuga clan. Even since Hinata's unsuccessful abduction at the age of three, the entire clan had become restless on safety and security, although they maintained their poised demeanour in public. Sasuke vaguely recalled a white-eyed man who would constantly accompany Hinata on her way to school and back home during his Academy days. Now that he thought about it again, it would appear much more natural for the Hyuuga heiress to be followed around by another Hyuuga, since discretion was a must for this mission.

Sasuke decided that he would talk about it to the Hokage first thing tomorrow.

Sighing, he casually walked back towards Naruto, Sakura and Hinata, who were discussing the first stage of the Chuunin exams.

"It shouldn't be too bad," Sakura was now saying, "since only the tenth question will count for the exams. However, they added a rule that you should attempt every question, or they'll kick you out of the examination room. Just before the last question is set, the invigilators will pass round to check each Genin's test paper." She gave Naruto a dark look, "That's all thanks to you, Naruto."

A sweat drop suddenly appeared on Naruto's temple, and he slowly backed away from the glowering kunoichi. The last time that he had participated in the Chuunin exams, the blond had been the only one to submit a completely blank paper. He replied with a nervous laughter, "Oh… so I guess I'll have to study this time around. Ah! Look! It's getting late, the sun has already set. I should get going, see ya guys!" And he took to his heels.

"NARUTO! COME BACK HERE!" Sakura ran after him.

Soon, the two were out of sight.

Which left Hinata and Sasuke alone.

In the dark.

Oh.

"I'll walk you home," said Sasuke as he started towards the village. He inspected the starlit night sky. The moon was just a crescent, casting a feeble light upon the two. In the distance, the Village of Konoha was illuminated with streetlamps, neon banners and lit houses.

"Hai…," replied Hinata absentmindedly, eventually falling into step beside him. The following silence was awkward, yet no one dared to break it.

To Sasuke's relief, he knew where the Hyuuga residence was situated in Konoha – just outside the central part of the village. He had gone to the place once or twice with his family since the Uchiha were also a noble clan, yet he couldn't seem to remember what he had done there. He just recalled its location. A child's memory was so volatile…

"Thank you for accompanying me, Sasuke-kun… And… Sorry for the trouble." They had already reached their destination. The white walls of the fence surrounding the residential compound appeared grey in the dim environment. A single lantern was lit near the entrance gate, above which was carved the Hyuuga clan's name. The orange light of the lantern cast a warm glow on Hinata's features, causing the Uchiha lad to briefly compare this Hinata to the palish girl he had seen this morning.

As Sasuke watched Hinata enter the compound, he noticed a silhouette standing just above the steps leading inside the main house. It was Hinata's father and he looked as stern as ever. The young lad automatically inclined his head in greeting, unsure whether Hiashi Hyuuga would notice it. Upon looking back up, though, Sasuke saw the Hyuuga leader return the gesture. Also, he could almost swear that for a split second the latter's expression had seemed less tense. It was hard to determine in the dim setting. Hinata closed the wooden gate with a soft "Good night".

Back at home and after a quick shower, Sasuke hit the bed and promptly drifted to sleep. Yet another night without eating dinner.

However, once again, his subconscious took the opportunity to slip a fragment of his childhood into his mind. One he did remember this time.

Sasuke was laughing. He was happy. Looking around, he saw his parents and his elder brother, Itachi. They were smiling. The sole source of light in the dining room was the lit candle atop a big cake on the wooden table in front of him. The number seven towered above a text calligraphed in chocolate: _Happy Birthday Sasuke_.

"Make a wish before blowing out the candle!" said Mikoto, his mother. Sasuke had inherited her looks while Itachi resembled their father, Fugaku.

The young Uchiha merrily complied. The candle flame was out almost instantly, causing one to wonder whether Sasuke had even spared time to make a wish. He had. But nobody would ever know that.

The room was now plunged into total darkness. Silence had abruptly conquered the cheering voices of Sasuke's family. The young boy stretched out a hand and tried to reach for someone, anyone. His small fingers curled around thin air where Itachi's wrist should have been.

A sentiment of dread blossomed inside Sasuke. He was alone. Everybody had left him. A fragment of the Uchiha Clan Massacre flashed before his eyes – the bodies of his parents lying on the cold wooden floor of their house, Itachi standing behind them. His brother had killed them last, heartbroken, after learning that they still loved him no matter what.

Everything went black once more.

"_Sasuke._"

No way… This was _Itachi_'s voice, thought Sasuke. Itachi was calling out to him! He looked around frantically, searching for his brother. Darkness stared back at him from all directions.

"_Sasuke…_"

The deep voice again. But just _where_ was it coming from?

A blinding light.

Sasuke awoke with a start. Shielding his eyes from the intense brightness of an all-too-familiar ray of sunlight, he lay in bed for a while, completely still and frowning at the _goddamn _darkness within his palm. He made a mental note to buy more competent curtains. Or even better, he would simply purchase blinds.

Now, he just wanted a cold shower.

As he exited his bedroom and walked down the small corridor towards the adjacent bathroom, he glimpsed a little heap on the floor in front of the apartment door. Mail. He went over and picked them up. Leafing through the letters, he noted that most were decorated with small hearts and had been perfumed. _Secret admirers… _One by one, he dropped them into the trashcan next to the door. Ever since he had been discharged from the Konoha Hospital after the war and had settled at this apartment, he had started to receive love letters. Some were signed "_with love_" while others thankfully remained anonymous. The inconvenience was that, even though the number fluctuated per day, he would always find two or three of them lying on his doorstep every morning. And this annoyed Sasuke.

The first few days, he had evidently been flattered, like any person his age would have been. But looking at the pastel-coloured envelopes now, he was purely appalled. Too much love kills the love…

At last, Sasuke was left with only one seemingly ordinary envelope. The letter inside it read:

_Since you need three people per team for the Exams, I'll present you the temporary member of the team at the Third Training Ground tomorrow morning._

_~Hatake Kakashi_

"_Who could it be?_" pondered Sasuke. Moreover, this was bothersome because they had less than a week to prepare for the Exams, and now there would be a new addition to the team. "Hmm…," he mumbled to himself, thoughtful. A glance at the wall clock caused him to discard his musings. It was already eight and he had to see the Hokage as soon as possible.

A quick shower and an even quicker breakfast later, Sasuke set off towards the Academy.

"Yes, I did entrust this to Hatake Kakashi so that he could give this to you," stated Tsunade as she scanned the scroll which Sasuke had just presented to her. All she could see was a stretch of blank paper. The dark-haired ninja had already informed her that the contents could be read using the Sharingan. "As you already know, you are unable to decline any mission to which you are assigned, may it be by myself or, as it is in this case, by the sender himself." Resting her chin atop her interlaced fingers, the Fifth Hokage peered at the young ninja across her office table, which was presently overcrowded with pile upon pile of paperwork. She continued, her eyes locking into a firm gaze at the Uchiha's black eyes, "I believe that you know the consequence of refusing a mission?"

Sasuke responded with a curt nod. He would be deprived of his status as a shinobi and would thus be restricted to a normal civilian's life. The Fifth Hokage had skilfully manipulated the Konoha Council to reduce the duration of this condition to a mere four years – three and a half years now – instead of the age of retirement. How she had achieved such a feat was a complete mystery up to this day.

The scroll was handed back to him. He once again scanned the contents, this time down to the very bottom where were written the conditions of the mission contract.

The ghost of a smile flashed across his features. It was gone before either Lady Tsunade or Shizune could even detect its appearance. Sasuke proceeded to reopen the wound on his forefinger, smear the fresh blood onto his thumb, which he used to stain the three remaining finger pads, and press all five fingers onto the hand-sized space provided.

The contract was now complete.

Out of the blue, the scroll furled itself and disappeared into a puff of smoke. It was replaced by a small round object which presently rested in the palm of Sasuke's hand. The young Uchiha peered at it curiously, wondering what this… _thing_ could possibly be. Its colour reminded him of clouds at sunset. He suddenly heard the Hokage sigh.

"You men can be so ignorant…," she muttered under her breath. Now in a louder voice: "This is a rosehip. Was there any mention in the contract? No? Well… it probably contains a jutsu which will track the progress of the mission." The blonde gave Sasuke a loop-sided smile before continuing, "You should stop by the Yamanaka Flower shop on your way back; they are experts in this domain." She seemed to be picturing Sasuke tending to a small plant. He simply didn't look like the caring type, usually maintaining the shut-up-and-leave-me-alone act up in front of others. Regaining a serious composure, she then dismissed the young ninja.

The Academy, found directly at the foot of the famous Hokage Monument Mountain, was halved into the Academic and the Administrative Divisions; the latter consisted of the Mission Assignment Desk and the Hokage's office. It had been a long time since Sasuke's last visit of the Ninja School. He wondered how he would feel if he were to explore this element of his childhood once more. Nostalgic? A normal person would. But then again, the _awesome _Uchiha Sasuke was not _normal_. He was _awesome_.

His sky-scraping level of complacency didn't seem to worry him in the least.

Considering that it was a weekday and still morning, the school was open and full of noisy, hyperactive children. Sasuke was now walking up a small alley lined with tall green trees, their extensive canopies protecting him from the sultry summer sun. At the far end of the path, swaying gently in the occasional breeze, a lone swing hung from the lowest branch of the last tree. It looked as solitary as had been its most frequent occupant, Uzumaki Naruto. But now the happy-go-lucky blond was surrounded by friends that he had progressively made. He had managed to acquire their respect, their trust and their love throughout years of hardship and never giving up in his ideals.

But what about Sasuke?

His focus on revenge and power had led him down a sinister path, causing him to cross out any sort of healthy social life. He would have to work on that as from now.

Sasuke finally stopped in front of the school entrance and looked upwards. The towering building seemed slightly less imposing as compared to the one in his childhood memories. He was presently as tall as his teacher, Kakashi, and silently delighted in the fact that Naruto was an inch _shorter_. He was well aware that it was quite childish of him, but he had always been the competitive type. Even the most trivial details mattered to him if he wished to surpass everyone else and become the Hokage. Unless he found something else. Hence, Naruto would find peace of mind: the title of Hokage had always been his dream.

The Uchiha lad was about to enter the Ninja School when something unexpected occurred. He bumped into someone. A sense of déjà vu washed over him as he recognised Hinata, who had just come out. Her face was flushed and she was panting. Behind her, the sound of running was growing louder by the second. "E-Excuse me!" she said in a panicked voice, trying to push a stunned Sasuke away with her small hands so that she could escape her apparent pursuers. But it was too late.

In a blink, those chasing her caught up; Sasuke saw Sakura and Ino suddenly skid to a halt as they quickly recognised the gorgeous shinobi standing in the doorway. The two collided with Hinata's back, propelling the latter forward –

Right into Sasuke's arms.

* * *

**PHEW! Finally done with this chapter... it's so long...**

**Please share your thoughts~! Critiques are welcomed too ^^**

**The following chapter will reveal the new (and temporary) member of Team Kakashi! What do you think will be the current members' opinion on that matter?**

**Yours truly,**

**Running Bird~**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The Fifth Hokage was examining the voluminous piles of record files atop her office desk. They contained information on all the foreign ninjas presently in Konoha, their purpose here and the expected duration of their stay.

Uchiha Sasuke had just left, and she had an imminent meeting with the team of medic nins since it was almost nine o'clock. She paused in her reading, recalling her conversation with the young Uchiha. The latter had entered the room with a purposeful look set on his face. Yet, as soon as she had asked him for the reason behind this impromptu visit, his expression had switched to a blank stare. He had then showed her the scroll which she had received the previous day from an unknown sender, who had also attached to the scroll a generous sum of money as early payment – a strange glint suddenly flashing in her eyes, Lady Tsunade had immediately sent the first person passing nearby to deliver the precious item to its addressee.

After seeing the blank paper, understanding had dawned upon the Hokage: poor Sasuke had to keep the mission a secret until success (or eventual failure), while the current circumstances were preventing him from declining this troublesome task. But Lady Tsunade had already done everything in her power to reduce the duration of his 'punishment' down to the number of years he had spent away from Konoha as a missing nin.

"Hah… What is taking them so long to come?" muttered the blond woman, swiveling around in her blue office chair to face the windows. She cast a sweeping glance outside, trying to locate members of the medic team. "Oh?" She had just spotted Uchiha Sasuke – he was easy to recognise with that gravity-defying hair sticking out at the back of his head – near the entrance of the Ninja School, holding someone in his arms. "Ah, the youth… They sure have it easy…"

Judging by the long hair and the short stature – the person's crown reached hardly as high as Sasuke's chin – it was most probably a girl. Her assumption was confirmed when, with lightning speed, the person in Sasuke's arms pulled back, stumbling slightly, and turned around in the direction of the Hokage Tower. It was Hyuuga Hinata. Blushing, she looked back for a moment, probably to talk to the young lad, then faced ahead and began walking. An amused smile gracing her red lips, Tsunade noticed that the girl was trying to maintain a dignified air as she advanced. After all, she was the heiress to the Hyuuga clan. This also explained why she was targeted by ninjas from the other countries. Ever since the report of the recent attack, the Fifth Hokage had decided to keep an eye on the young lady. She had even gone as far as adding Hinata – her chakra control could rival a medic nin's as she was an adept of the Gentle Fist Art – to the medic team, which would be led by her loyal assistant, Shizune. Just to be on the safe side.

Looking back at the Uchiha, Tsunade now realised that her students Sakura and Ino were also down there. From this distance, it was hard to tell but she was almost sure that the two teenage girls had pink hearts for eyes as they conversed animatedly with a bored-looking Sasuke. It seemed as though all thoughts of an important meeting with the Hokage had completely fled their minds like leaves on the wind. The Sannin woman felt like opening her window and throwing her shoes at the two hormone-driven girls to make them hurry up a bit. They were supposed to be inside her office by _now_. Thankfully, it appeared that Sasuke had noticed the fuming Hokage by the window; he proceeded to utter something brief to the girls while gesturing towards the Hokage's office. Seconds later, Sakura and Ino had disappeared from view, leaving a thick cloud of dust in their wake.

At two past nine everyone was present and, after a brief exchange of morning greetings, the meeting finally began.

"Alright!" exclaimed the Hokage to ensure that she had the attention of the dozen of shinobi gathered in the oval room. Her gaze momentarily rested on the three girls in the group and she narrowed her amber eyes. Why had she accepted their lame excuse for their lateness? Maybe she was going too soft on them; she had decided to let it pass this time after three pairs of puppy eyes looked pleadingly up at her. Now that Sakura, Ino and Hinata were working part-time at the Ninja School to replace the hospitalised Chuunin teachers, they were undoubtedly adopting their pupils' charming tactics. Looking at the bright side of the picture, such skills might be useful during missions. _Might_.

"To start off, we shall discuss the team arrangements and their respective shifts…"

The meeting went on for a whole hour, during which time the Hokage imparted details on each four-man team's schedule for the second and third stages of the Chuunin Selection Exams. Throughout the second part which would last five days Sakura would lead the morning shift, Ino the afternoon one whereas Hinata, with her Byakugan, would work at night. As for the last stage of the Exams, they would be working together.

"Concerning those who work as teachers at the Ninja Academy, substitutes will be appointed to your respective classes during this period," said Lady Tsunade as the meeting drew to an end. At this piece of information, Ino and Sakura nearly squealed with joy – five days without those little devils in disguise! Next to them, Hinata simply held a worried look which went unnoticed to the others as they were finally dismissed.

Exiting the office, Hinata saw more shinobi waiting near the door: they would be in charge of the safety and security throughout the Chuunin Exams. The young kunoichi strongly felt that she ought to be among them instead, given that the Byakugan was an unmatched asset in such circumstances. Taking her late cousin Neji's advice on meditation Hinata had gradually developed her _kekkei genkai_ to its full potential. It would come a day when she would literally have to fight for her title of heiress; Hyuuga Hiashi had previously announced that the stronger of his daughters would become the next clan head.

Hinata decided to push these thoughts aside for the time being. Following the others out of the Hokage Tower, she quietly stepped into the daylight.

…

Sasuke eyed the materials on the wooden table, his beautiful lips pursed into a firm line. He had just purchased gardening tools.

_Now what?_

He almost palmed his face at that moment: he didn't know how to grow plants. And his ego had categorically refused to visit the newly-rebuilt Yamanaka Flowers, persuading the inexperienced man that he could do just fine without external help.

He gently took the rosehip out of his beige shorts pocket; it looked so small in his palm. Recalling Lady Tsunade's words from earlier, Sasuke wondered if a jutsu had really been cast on this ordinary-looking thing. For it to keep track of his mission status there should be a sort of link connecting him to the plant. Like what?

_My blood._

An image of his pricking his finger on a certain flower stalk flashed through Sasuke's retrospective mind. A certain flower which belonged to a certain girl. A white rose which belonged to _Hyuuga Hinata._

"Hinata," murmured Sasuke to himself. "Get ready for a long, long talk…"

Somewhere on the other side of Konoha, a soft sneeze was heard in one of the many corridors inside the Ninja Academy. Several small heads popped out of one of the various classrooms along the hallway, their curiosity drawn by the sudden sound.

"It's Hinata-sensei!" said one of the pupils excitedly, the news causing a ripple of murmur inside his classroom. Another head soon joined the others around the open door, this one belonging to the Chuunin who had been replacing the young Hyuuga in her absence. He watched as Hinata made her way over, accompanied by a blonde and a girl whose hair resembled the soft colour of cherry blossoms. The two were spiritedly chatting in hushed tones with the calm Hyuuga.

Sakura was now whispering, "You _still_ haven't answered our question from earlier! Just _how _did you manage to make them all so _obedient_? Even the rowdy ones! Well, I can't really complain since my students remain utterly quiet in my presence… But as soon as I'm gone—hah! They start noising once again. Speaking of whom, I think that I can already hear them from here…"

"Maybe you should start trying to _earn_ _their_ _respect_ instead of always scaring the poor children into silence, Forehead girl," replied Ino scornfully, receiving an indignant "_Shut UP, Ino-pig!_" from Sakura. Turning to Hinata, she added, "But I do wonder how you succeeded with these kids, considering that most of the troublemakers of this year's batch are found in your class."

"Well… I…," began the shy teen hesitantly as she looked down at her interlaced fingers. The words remained trapped in her throat, unwilling to come out, to be exposed. Telling the truth didn't feel like the right thing to do here. It felt like a betrayal, as though keeping silent on the matter was far more important than providing useful advice on how to discipline ninjas-to-be. But it would be extremely impolite, by the Hyuuga clan's standards, not to answer them. So she resorted to the safest alternative.

"… I took my cue from the other teachers."

The simplicity of this reply seemed to stun Sakura and Ino, resulting in a blank stare from the two. Hinata was overcome by a strange feeling of déjà vu; she automatically looked ahead to make sure that she wasn't going to run into Uchiha Sasuke yet again. Instead, she was met with the grinning faces of her young students, which warmed her heart.

It was time for class!

…

His apartment was _so_ _plain_, noted Sasuke as he threw a sweeping glance across the modest kitchen-dining room. He had initially bought this condominium for functional use only: eating, sleeping and other essential needs. But at the moment, he realised how impersonal it truly looked. Apart from the dark hardwood floor, everything lacked colour – those _plain white_ walls, that _plain white_ ceiling, those _freaking plain white _curtains!

He especially needed new curtains (starting with those in his bedroom) and the sooner the better. Money wouldn't be a problem either. Given that the Uchiha had always been a powerful noble clan in Konoha before the Massacre, Sasuke had inherited all of their wealth; therefore, there was more than enough money to support the next three or four generations at least.

On second thought, his clan's money would serve to renovate the Uchiha compound. Thankfully, its geographical location had prevented its complete destruction by the Almighty Push during the invasion of Pain. However, the Uchiha survivor could easily picture the layers of dust and dirt that had undoubtedly covered, over the years, every surface in his house. He preferred not to imagine the current state of the _other_ houses in the compound, which had remained unoccupied for over a _decade_. Sasuke would definitely need more than one pair of hands to clean everything.

Discarding his thoughts, he focused once more on his immediate surroundings. He peered at the gardening things on the table next to him: a terracotta pot filled with earth, a small watering can and tools among others. The salesgirl had even given him a sort of mini signboard to insert in the earth-filled pot. Its purpose? No idea. She had just smiled toothily, her cheeks a bright pink. Why did girls act in such a suspicious way around him? Well, most of them anyway. The image of a certain pale-eyed person flashed through his mind – _that _one acted weirdly solely around his idiot of a friend, the happy-go-lucky Naruto. Whatever.

Sasuke had actually managed to figure out what to do with the rosehip, which had yielded a single seed after he had tentatively applied some chakra to it. The tiny seed now lay in the pot, concealed within the watered earth.

So… where should Sasuke place the potted hopefully-soon-to-be-plant? He considered his options, crossing out the small hallway and the bathroom – both were deprived of sunlight due to the absence of windows.

Bedroom? No. It would steal his oxygen supply at night. And the young Uchiha didn't want to give the annoying morning sunray all the more reason to disturb his sleep.

Kitchen? Maybe. He could place it on the windowsill, but the plant might not receive enough light since the window faced north.

Dining area? Most probably. Only a counter separated the kitchen from the rest of the dining room, where two bay windows faced north and east respectively. The eastward one was centred in the wall, so each morning when Sasuke drew the curtains a generous stream of daylight poured into the room and brightened everything in the vicinity.

Uchiha Sasuke decided to keep the small plant where it was, in the middle of his circular dining table which was itself in the middle of the room.

Lunch time was, as always, quick and lonely. A deafening silence constantly reigned in the dining room at meal times, weighing down on Sasuke's shoulders and numbing in his sensitive ears. The worst was that Sasuke's mother had been so meticulous in teaching her sons good manners that even munching was practically soundless. He had also realised over time that this habit presented a smooth transition back to the usual ubiquitous quietness of his apartment. In contrast, a sudden stillness had crashed down in his apartment once everyone else had left after his birthday party. The orphaned Uchiha had then preferred the embrace of his soft bed to escape the clutches of solitude threatening to assail him when he was most vulnerable.

Thinking back now, he had not yet opened any of his birthday presents.

"Let's see what we have here…" After eating and washing up, Sasuke had bolted into the living room and plopped down in front of the pile of gift boxes he had placed in a corner. His fine hair appeared suspiciously spikier than usual, almost reminding one of a curious kitten.

A cute curious kitten on the verge of ripping open a dozen of beautifully wrapped gift boxes.

He paused for a moment to try and recall who had been present on Sunday: his two teammates (of course), the members of Team Kurenai and Team Asuma, two members of Team Guy, Sai (a guy he didn't really appreciate for numerous reasons but who Naruto and Sakura had insisted on inviting), his former Academy teacher Iruka and finally his current teacher Kakashi.

There had been thirteen people in all, plus Sasuke. He glanced at the twelve boxes standing innocently before him and frowned. He decided to check for names while opening his gifts.

As it turned out, most of his gifts were ninja equipment ranging from dry-fit clothes to an assortment of advanced handmade weapons, and various items which would come in handy during missions, such as poisons and antidotes. Iruka-sensei had given him a new pair of navy-blue ninja sandals, reminding Sasuke of those he used to wear as a Genin. Well… technically, he was still a Genin but he brushed that detail aside. Since his return to Konoha he had been sporting the same pair of black sandals and they were now showing signs of wear and tear. That was because the young shinobi hadn't found the time to purchase more ninja equipment as he had carried out mission upon mission both to make money and to satisfy the terms of his current… delicate situation. Upon opening Kakashi-sensei's gift, however, Sasuke's mind went blank for a brief instant.

The Konoha insignia was all he could see at that moment; it was neatly carved into a metal plate attached to a lengthy piece of midnight-blue cloth. It was a Konoha forehead protector. He trailed a long, slim finger along the soft fabric, reminiscing the good old days. So much had happened between then and now…

Oh! No way… Sasuke didn't want to acknowledge the source of this sudden sting behind his eyes. He decided to busy his mind by ripping open the remaining presents. It proved to be a good idea – well, more like a bad one. But everything is relative after all.

Sai had given him a box full of condoms. It was accompanied by a little note, "Happy birthday! Have a blast!" as well as an obscene drawing of Sasuke surrounded by a harem of girls.

Sasuke made a silent vow to kill that creep the next time they crossed paths.

The last gift box he opened was from Naruto, who had apparently subtracted a month's worth of instant ramen noodles from his stock to give to his best friend. Sasuke actually cracked a small smile at this present. It was reassuring to know that certain things – certain people – hadn't changed in his absence.

Anyway, now Sasuke was sure of something, of the one person who hadn't given him any present.

He wondered why it had yet again to be Hyuuga Hinata in the limelight of his attention. He interpreted the small tug at the corner of his mind as a natural side-effect of his hurt ego. Childishly, he decided that he wouldn't talk to her at all in the end, since _Miss_ hadn't bothered to buy him a present. He would cease all sorts of social contact with Hinata. Uchiha Sasuke was definitely _not_ feeling any trace of disappointment.

A full minute passed before the small voice of reason inside the Uchiha's mind managed to convince him to wait for a justification instead of jumping to conclusions. This time, he thought that it almost bore some semblance to his Nii-san's way of speaking. As a child, Sasuke would often mimic his beloved elder brother, his role model.

After putting away every gift, Sasuke entered the bathroom with the purpose of taking a refreshing shower. The afternoon air was sultrier than any other time of the day in summer, which irritated Sasuke as his apartment was located on the first floor of the residential complex. Those living on the ground floor were most probably subjected to a cooler air since they were a bit more protected – trees grew like mushrooms in Konoha – from the unforgiving sunrays. The bathroom was the only place in his condo that was tiled. Those plain white tiles covered the entire floor and stopped about halfway up the walls. Taking up the width of the farthest wall was his large bathtub, his peaceful haven after a challenging day. This time Sasuke took his time to enjoy the soothing effect of cool water pouring from the shower head onto his skin; he had been in such a hurry in the morning…

That evening found Sasuke slouched onto a broad sofa in the living room, eating the remnant of a dark chocolate cake. It was the one which had been baked for his birthday and each spoonful brought on a bitter taste with the faintest hint of sweetness, complemented by a strong and deep chocolate flavour which appealed to his delicate palate. He liked it – a lot. Nah, scratch that.

He _loved_ that cake.

"Too bad there isn't more," he thought dejectedly as he reached the last mouthful. He recalled that he had been among the only ones to enjoy the cake on Sunday and had had seconds while most of the teenaged ninjas had barely eaten one slice each. Apparently, they had more of a sweet tooth – he could remember some of the boys' attempt to stealthily transfer as much whipped cream as possible from the surface of the cake into their mouths before Sakura punched them all unconscious. He lazily got up to his foot and walked back to the kitchen to wash up his plate.

Sasuke cast one last glance at the pot atop the wooden table in the dining area before going to brush his teeth and heading to bed.

A cool breeze entered through the open window and swept through the room as he lay immobile in bed, his gaze unwavering from the circular ceiling lamp. The dark-haired teenager began to recount the events of the day. He didn't like the idea that a certain someone was gaining too much ground in his life, invading his personal space so often – bumping _twice_ into the same person on two consecutive days was bordering the limits of coincidence, in addition to his saving the young heiress twice yesterday. It seemed as though a higher power was having fun to pair Sasuke up with girls. At the Ninja Academy, he had been the object of admiration of the entire female student body. As a preteen, he had been stuck with Sakura who had even confessed her love to him. And now that he had finally rid himself of the clingy Karin – he couldn't care less where she decided to go with Orochimaru and the other members of Team Taka – a doe-eyed maiden was being forced onto him.

Or maybe he was just overanalysing the situation and, indeed, everything was just the fruit of pure coincidence.

Strangely enough, the ceiling was taking on a darker shade, progressively shifting from greyish to black. Sasuke blinked once and the moment he reopened his eyes, he was staring at a blackboard. On the other hand, the room around him had brightened. He was no longer lying down but was now in a sitting position; his elbows were resting atop a wooden desk before him while his chin was nestled in the palm of his hand. Judging by the elevated rows of desks and the seven-year-old children occupying each seat, he was inside a classroom – his old classroom at the Ninja School. The following instant, a voice which he recognised all too well spoke up.

"Argh! Iruka-sensei," whined the young Naruto, his upper body sprawled all over his desk. "Can't you let us go some minutes earlier? Class is almost over anyway and I'm getting really bored—'ttebayo!" Sasuke silently scoffed at Naruto's antics (he had always been the active type, unable to remain still during class with an attention span of about thirty seconds).

"Stop complaining and let me finish this lesson, Naruto. Then you'll be allowed to go," responded Iruka-sensei with furrowed brows, pausing in his lecture to look at the whiskered face of his student who vaguely resembled a miserable puppy at the moment. "Alright, so… as I was saying… shuriken throwing is among the basic—"

"But, Iruka-senseeei!" _An attention span of _fifteen_ seconds_, Sasuke amended.

The dark-haired instructor took to ignore Naruto completely. Mentally, the young Uchiha began to count down: _three… two… one—_

"That's it! I'm getting out of here!" A defiant Naruto was instantaneously up on his feet and dashed to the door. Before he could exit, Iruka managed to catch him by the collar of his T-shirt and dragged the protesting child towards the teacher's table. Sasuke watched with an amused expression the scene unfolding before his eyes as Iruka-sensei began to moralise his most unruly pupil on the importance of discipline as a shinobi.

A quarter-minute later, the young Uchiha noticed that Naruto's azure eyes had begun to sweep the room, in search for some distraction. They soon locked with Sasuke's ebony orbs. The Uchiha raised an eyebrow, silently questioning his classmate on his next course of actions.

The bell rang.

Naruto was outside in record time, Iruka on his tail shouting after the boy, "Come back here! I'm not done talking to you!"

Around Sasuke, the pupils started to pack up their things and head out; he followed suit. As he reached the threshold however, his body seemed to disconnect from his will. His feet refused to move – they were glued to the spot! Sasuke's eyes widened as his attempts became frantic, desperate to escape. He felt vulnerable, helpless – _powerless_.

"Move…," he was muttering to himself. "_Move!_" He squeezed his eyes shut, gathering all his might to try and lift a foot off the ground.

"_Sasuke_…"

Nii-san's voice! The young boy's eyes fluttered open, relief washing over him as he recognised the smiling figure standing before him, stretching a hand towards his small frame. Sasuke reached out and grabbed his brother's hand. This time, the light that enveloped the two did not blind Sasuke; it was an embrace.

Sasuke woke up to find that a whole _beam_ of sunlight was shining down upon his body. The wind had caused his curtain to move aside, letting in the morning light.

…

"Our new teammate is…," muttered a stunned Sasuke as he looked at the two individuals before him, one of whom was his teacher, Kakashi. They had just arrived at the Third Training Ground, which was plain area enclosed within a mass of trees; along one side ran a calm river. Next to the Uchiha, Naruto barely managed to choke out, "A kid?!"

"Yeah," replied Kakashi-sensei, his visible eye crinkling into a cheerful expression. "Well… In passing, the 'kid' is about as old as you were when you joined Team Seven.

"So! Today we'll just do some presentation and focus on developing the teamwork - just like in the good ol' days. Now, now... Say hello to your teammate for the Chuunin Selection Exams… Hyuuga Hanabi!"

The two teens could believe neither their ears nor their eyes.

* * *

**Finaaaallyyyy! Really, really, ****_really_**** sorry for the time it took... I have no excuse D: It's strange how I tend to diverge from the initial plot... I get ideas as I type .**

**Please let me know what you think of this chapter! :)**


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